Chapter 70 THE HOT PASSION
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AUTHOR’S POV
The grand ballroom was alive with soft laughter and the clinking of glasses, the warm golden glow of chandeliers reflecting off crystal and polished marble floors.
Adeline sat poised at the head of a round table, surrounded by influential guests who hung onto every word of conversation, their voices mingling with the delicate notes of a string quartet playing in the background.
She smiled at the man seated beside her, elegantly swirling the wine in her glass before taking a slow sip.
The taste of aged red lingered on her tongue, but even as she engaged in lighthearted conversation, a strange, nagging sensation settled over her.
A prickling awareness at the back of her neck.
A weight—an invisible force pressing against her skin, drawing her attention no matter how much she tried to ignore it.
She let her lashes lower slightly, her eyes subtly drifting across the room. There was a crowd, faces shifting and blurring together in a sea of glittering gowns and sharp suits, but amidst them, she found him.
Luciano.
He sat across the room, partially shrouded in shadow, his presence a silent storm that demanded to be acknowledged.
His dark eyes—sharp, piercing—were locked onto her, unyielding, unapologetic. He didn’t glance away when she met his gaze. Instead, his lips curved into a slow, knowing smirk.
Heat crept up Adeline’s neck, a flush rising beneath her skin that had nothing to do with the wine she’d been sipping.
She forced herself to look away, redirecting her attention to the man beside her as he spoke about something undoubtedly important, but his words faded into background noise.
Luciano’s gaze burned into her, even when she refused to meet it.
It was unbearable.
She reached for her drink again, fingers tightening around the glass as she took another sip, willing herself to focus.
She had spent time perfecting the art of self-control—of ignoring what should not be entertained. And yet, tonight, it was proving impossible.
Minutes passed.
Then an hour.
The ballroom became warmer, the chatter of voices louder, the music weaving a delicate spell through the evening. Adeline exhaled softly, a sudden urge to step away overtaking her.
She needed a moment to breathe, to clear her head from the intoxicating pull of the man who had no business looking at her the way he did.
“Excuse me,” she murmured, offering her guests a polite smile as she rose from her chair.
She wove through the room, past waiters carrying silver trays of champagne flutes, past the lingering scent of expensive perfume and cigar smoke clinging to the air. The hallway leading to the restrooms was quieter, the sounds of the party muffled behind her as she pushed open the door to the ladies’ room.
The space was dimly lit, the glow of a wall sconce casting golden light against the marble countertops.
Adeline stepped forward, placing her hands on the counter as she inhaled deeply. The mirror reflected her features—her lips slightly parted, her eyes darker than usual, her skin still warm.
She smoothed a hand down the fabric of her dress, adjusting the straps before reaching for her lipstick. Uncapping it, she leaned forward to apply a fresh coat, but the moment the tip touched her bottom lip, she felt it.
That shift in the air. That presence.
A slow, creeping awareness slithered down her spine, making every nerve in her body tighten.
Her gaze flickered to the mirror.
Luciano.
Her breath caught.
He stood just behind her, broad shoulders filling the reflection, his frame tall and dark, his expression unreadable.
The dim lighting only sharpened his features—the sharp cut of his jaw, the dark scruff lining his cheek, the sinful curve of his mouth that held a promise of something wicked.
Adeline spun around instantly, her pulse hammering.
“What are you—”
Before she could finish, his hand reached up, fingers curling around her cheek as his lips crashed onto hers.
A gasp tore from her throat, her fingers pressing against his chest in protest, but the second his mouth moved against hers, her resolve shattered.
The kiss was fierce, unrelenting, fueled by something that had been suppressed for far too long. His grip tightened, his other hand sliding around her waist, pulling her against the solid heat of his body.
He kissed her like a man who had been starving—like he was tasting something he had been deprived of, something he could no longer resist.
A soft sound escaped her lips before she could stop it, and that was all it took.
Luciano groaned, deep and low, his arms flexing as he lifted her effortlessly, placing her onto the cool marble countertop.
Her dress slid up her thighs, his large hands gripping her hips, spreading warmth through her body like wildfire.
“Dio, Adeline,” he murmured against her lips, his breath hot against her skin. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”
She shuddered as his mouth moved to her jaw, tracing a path down to the sensitive spot beneath her ear.
“How much I’ve craved you,” he whispered, his lips pressing open, wet kisses down her neck.
Adeline squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to push him away, to say something, anything—but her body betrayed her.
Her fingers tangled in his hair, her nails dragging against his scalp as he stepped between her parted thighs, his body fitting against hers in a way that felt devastatingly familiar.
His hands slid down to her thighs, gripping, kneading, as if he was trying to remind himself that she was real—right here, beneath his touch.
She let out a sharp breath when he tilted her chin, his mouth capturing hers again in a kiss so deep it made her dizzy.
And then, he was moving lower, his lips trailing down her collarbone, his fingers slowly slipping beneath the thin straps of her dress.
A tremor ran through her when he tugged them down, letting the fabric slip, revealing her bare skin to his heated gaze.